I Became the Billionaire's Fake Lover to Get My Revenge
Chapter 99: Weakness

Chapter 99: Weakness

"You’ve been looking a little glum lately," William remarked as he set a glass of chilled lemonade on the garden table beside Anna’s rocking chair.

The summer heat had finally begun to ease, leaving behind a warm but pleasant breeze that made afternoons in the estate garden feel almost idyllic. Surrounded by blooming flowers and the gentle scent of jasmine and citrus trees, it was the perfect refuge from the heaviness that sometimes clouded Anna’s heart.

Whenever she felt down, Anna would retreat to the garden with a book in hand, seeking quiet solace among the greenery. And on the rare days when William could spare a few hours from his packed schedule, he’d join her—quietly, without a word, just content to be near.

Today was one of those days.

"It feels a little lonely without Gabriel," Anna admitted as she accepted the glass, her fingers brushing briefly against his.

William didn’t bother to hide his displeasure at the mention of the man. "Well, he did leave that mutt behind," he muttered, nodding toward the Dalmatian puppy currently tumbling through the grass in pursuit of a butterfly. "What’s the point of getting a dog if he can’t even take care of it?"

"I asked him to leave the dog," Anna said softly, taking a sip of the tart lemonade. "There was just too much going on. The poor thing would’ve only suffered if it went with him."

William clicked his tongue in annoyance, exhaling like an old man fed up with the world. "You care about that mutt far too much."

"You don’t like dogs?" Anna raised her eyebrows in surprise, a small smile tugging at her lips.

William sighed again, more dramatic this time. "No. I’m a cat person."

That unexpected confession caught her off guard—and made her laugh, warm and genuine. "You? A cat person? I never would’ve guessed! You don’t look the type at all!"

William frowned, clearly offended by her remark. But before he could offer a witty retort, one of the maids approached, holding an envelope delicately between her fingers.

"Miss Dumas, this was just delivered for you," she said politely, placing the envelope on the table before swiftly retreating.

William leaned forward, scanning the handwriting on the front. "Charlotte Bloom?" he read aloud, passing the envelope to Anna. "That name doesn’t ring a bell."

But Anna recognized it instantly.

Charlotte Bloom had never been a particularly prominent figure in high society back when Anna still maintained a presence there. In fact, her reputation had always been rather unimpressive.

Charlotte’s sole ambition in life was to marry well—preferably a wealthy man who could provide her with a life of luxury and ease, without her ever lifting a finger. Unsurprisingly, that made her seem painfully shallow and dull to most. She wasn’t especially attractive either, but fortune had smiled on her nonetheless.

She’d managed to snag Andrew Zellmer—a prosperous investor and the heir to several popular chocolate brands. His money might not have had the refined prestige of old aristocracy, but it had opened countless doors, propelling Charlotte into the social circles she’d always craved.

With her newfound access and bottomless bank account, Charlotte developed a habit of lavishing expensive gifts on the people she wanted to charm. Her generosity wasn’t limited to just women, either—it extended to men as well. It was her way of compensating for the glaring lack of depth in her personality.

It was around the time Charlotte found herself embroiled in a cheating scandal that Marienne stepped in to salvage her reputation.

The accusations weren’t entirely baseless, of course—but Marienne, ever the cunning strategist, spun a convincing cover story to explain Charlotte’s indiscretions. Grateful—and perhaps a little desperate—Charlotte latched onto her savior, becoming Marienne’s closest companion almost overnight.

For a while, Charlotte also served as Marienne’s financial lifeline. Whether she was paying for past favors or quietly being blackmailed, no one could say for sure. But one thing was certain—whenever Marienne found herself in a financial bind, Charlotte was always there, wallet open, no questions asked.

Unfortunately, their carefully cultivated alliance became one of the key factors in Anna’s eventual social downfall.

Marienne hadn’t simply sought Charlotte for her money—she had aimed for her influence as well. And with Anna standing in the way of her ambitions, Marienne resorted to something far more insidious than open conflict: quiet, systematic social exclusion.

It began subtly, almost imperceptibly. Charlotte and her circle of paid admirers started to ignore Anna, offering clipped greetings, "accidentally" forgetting to invite her to events, or ensuring she was always served last at private gatherings.

Before Anna even realized what was happening, she had been effectively exiled. The whispers grew louder. The disdainful glances multiplied. She became a social pariah—so thoroughly disregarded that even the weight of their silence felt suffocating.

And then came the final blow.

With Charlotte’s help, Marienne established a so-called "exclusive" book club—a façade for what was, in truth, a clique of idle heiresses who did little more than sip cocktails, trade gossip, and mock anyone who wasn’t included. It was a petty empire built on snobbery and exclusion, and it buried what little remained of Anna’s social standing.

It went without saying that while their little group wasn’t particularly powerful on its own, their talent for spinning rumors and fanning the flames of scandal left an unmistakable mark on high society. And at the heart of it all, as always, was Charlotte.

Anna smirked as her eyes moved over the contents of the letter tucked inside the envelope. With Marienne forced to step down to deal with her own brewing scandal, Charlotte had taken over managing the book club—and now she was apparently looking to fill a vacant seat.

"I wonder what kind of setup this is," Anna murmured, passing the invitation to William.

"A book club invitation?" he said after scanning it too. "Seems harmless to me."

"Charlotte is Marienne’s closest ally. I doubt this is just an innocent gesture. Unless she’s gone completely brain-dead, this might be her way of cozying up to me on Marienne’s behalf."

William gave a nonchalant shrug and tossed the letter onto the table before leaning back in his chair. "Well, if she’s trying to find your weakness, all you need to do is take the first step and find hers instead. So tell me—what’s Mrs. Bloom’s soft spot?"

Anna tapped the edge of the envelope thoughtfully against her chin, her gaze drifting into the distance. Then, ever so slightly, the corners of her lips curled upward into a sly, knowing smile.

"I think I know what it is."